The Office of the Prosecutor (OTP) of the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague, Netherlands, has named Evelyn Ama Ankumah, a well-known Ghanaian human rights champion and international lawyer, as a Special Adviser without a portfolio.
Along with Judge Sanji Monageng of Botswana, she is one of two distinguished African lawyers chosen for the position.
ICC Prosecutor Karim Khan said their “expertise will significantly enhance the Office’s work on critical issues” when he announced the appointments on Tuesday.
Their involvement will undoubtedly provide tremendous benefits to our Rome Statute stakeholders and staff.
“I deeply appreciate their generosity in offering their time, extensive experience, and valuable insights.”
The ICC described Special Advisers as individuals with outstanding professional credentials. Their appointment, on a pro bono basis, aims to create a network of experts from different regions of the world, ensuring cultural, linguistic, and gender diversity.
Ms. Ankumah, founder of Africa Legal Aid (AFLA) based in The Hague, has extensive legal experience across Africa, Europe, and North America. She has spearheaded initiatives promoting gender-sensitive and victim-centred approaches to international criminal justice.
She was a Research Fellow at Maastricht University and authored a groundbreaking book on the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights.
A statement by the ICC highlighted Ms Ankumah’s role in shaping key legal frameworks for international justice, including the Review of the Kampala Amendments on the Crime of Aggression. She also leads the Gender Mentoring Training Programme for judges.
Additionally, she played a key role in establishing the International Criminal Court Bar Association (ICCBA) and is a member of the International Gender Champions Network.
As an editor and author, she has published six books and over 40 editions of the AFLA Quarterly journal, continuing to advocate for justice, accountability, and human rights, according to the ICC.
